Speed wrench



0. M. GROSS Dec. 3, 1935. v

SPEED WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1935 OswALnM. (iRoss'. INVENTOR Dec. 3, 1935. o. M. GROSS SPEED WRENCH Filed Jan. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SPEED WRENCH Oswald M; Gross, Detroit, Mich. Application January 15, 1935, Serial No. 1,969

3 Claims.

The invention forming the subject matter ofthis application relates generally to wrenches of. the type in which the jaws are self-adjusting to fit nuts and bolt heads of various sizes.

The main object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the character referred to, in which the jaws contract automatically to fit nuts and similar objects of various sizes, to be turned in one direction or another; and, in which the jawsv remain in contact with the object, at all time, during the operation of tighteningor releasing the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the type referredto, which can be very g' ChGflDlY manufactured in large quantities; and

in which the parts are few in number, of maximum strength, and designed so as to facilitate the taking apart or assembly of the parts forreplacement or repair.

Other objects of the invention will appear the following description of a preferred and prac:

tical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings: Figure ,1 is a part section takenhlengthwise on -line vl-|. of Figure 2 in open position through one form of wrench embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a right hand pend elevation [of the.

wrench illustrated in Figural;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the wrench illus-v ,trated in Figures .1 and 2, showingthe jaws there,

of in closed position;

Figure 4 is a lefthand endelevationi of the wrench shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailin perspective l -.of part of the device shown in Figure, 1;

Figure 6 is va fragmentary central section, through the lower part of a modified form of they gripping mechanism illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective J view of parts of the invention shown inFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of aslightlymodi fied' form'of the wrench illustrated in Figures 1,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary control section of the lower operating'mechanism of another modified form of the invention;

FigurelO is a right hand end elevation of 'the parts shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective viewof :a lever form-i ing part of said mechanism;

Figure 14 is a right hand end elevation of the device shown in Figure 12, parts being broken away to illustrate certain details of construction.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, the reference numeral I designates a 5 casing or housing which forms the body of the wrench. The casing l is provided near its lower end with a curved offset 2 designed to prevent the hand of the user from sliding off the wrench when the latter becomes greasy. The upper part of one edge of the casing l is provided with the usual grip corrugations 3; and is outwardly curved to form the lower jaw 4. The upper jaw 5 is formed at the upper end of a jaw bar 6 slidably mounted in the casing I; and the outer end of the 15 jaws 4 and 5 are shaped to provide inwardly inclined surfaces 1 and 8, respectively, adapted by pressing the inclined surfaces 1 and 8 against a nut or bolt head to effect separation of the aforesaid jaws. v

The lower part of the casing l is slotted rearwardly to receive a lever 9 pivoted between its ends on a stud l0 suitably secured to the opposite sides of said casing I. The lower arm H of the lever 9 is curved to conform to the general shape of the casing I and forms a closure for the lower end of said casing. The inner end of the arm 1 I is provided with a slot l2 to receive the lower end l3 of a tension spring S suitably secured to a pin I4 extending across the slot I2.

As will be apparent from Figure 1 of the drawings, the upper part of the jaw bar 6 slides snugly in the casing I. This jaw bar 6 is provided at its inner edge with a comparatively long recess l5 adapted to receive the coiled part l6 of the tension springs. The upper end of this coiled part I6 is suitably secured in bore I! to the jaw bar 6 near the upper end of the recess [5. The lowerend J 8 of the jaw bar 6 is shaped to slide against the inner face of the housing I; and is provided with a bore 19 through which the straight part [3 of the tension springs passes freely:

' The rear edge of the jawbar 6 is provided with a recess 20 to form a clearance for the upper end With a similarly inclined serrated surface 23 formed on an inwardly projecting part 24 of the lever 9, The lever 9 adjacent the pivot III is provided with a bore 25 in which is seated the coils 26 ofa spring designated generally by the reference-numeral 27. One end of the spring flex-;

tends upwardly from the coiled part 26 to form a substantially straight arm 28 contacting at its upper end with a shoulder 29 formed by a slot 38 extending transversely across the lower part of the jaw bar 6. At the other end of the coil spring 21, an arm 3| extends upwardly along the opposite side of the lever 9; and an inwardly. turned lug 32 formed at the end of the arm 3| seats in the corner of a recess 33 formed in the upper arm 34 of the lever 9. V

A bore extends transversely through the jaw bar 6 and receives a pin 36 suitably secured to a cap 31 which normally closes a slot 38 formed in one side of the casing I. The cap 31 is adapted to be engaged by the thumb of the user to eifect an initial spreading apart of the jaws 4 and 5; and the upper end of the slot 38 acts as a stop to limit the separation of these jaws.

It is believed that the operation of this'form ofthe invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from inspection of Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings.

The modification: shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings is Intended for use for large size wrenches. In this modification the jaws (not shown) are substantially the same as those shown in Figure 1; The tension spring is omitted and a different form of grip mechanism is used at the lower end of the wrench.

In the casing 42, the jaw bar 43 is mounted to slide, and is held normally in yielding j aw-closing position by means of the spring 44 and operating levers 45 and 46 connected therewith. One of these levers 45 is pivoted to the casing 42 to swing about the pivot 42; and is shaped to form a closure for the lower end of casing 42. The upper end of the lever 45 is provided with a shoulder 41 adapted to engage a shoulder 48 on the casing 42 to limit the outward movement of the lever 45. 7

The lever 46 is provided at its upper end with an inwardly projecting tooth 49 adapted to engage the serrations 58 formed on the back edge of the lower part of the jawbar 43; and a stop 54 engages the tooth 49 when the jaws are fully separated. The lower part of lever 46 is shaped to'fo-rm a serrated V-shaped lug 52 slidable in a the'central coiled part of which is seated in a bore 56 extending transversely through the lower end of lever 46. The other end of the spring 44 is bent up around the rear edge of the lever 46,

and is hooked through an aperture 51 formed in said lever. V V

The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as that of the wrench shown in Figures 1 to 5. p

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8, the curved offset 2 is omitted; and the curved offset 39 of Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings has also been omitted, the gear edge of the housing I extending downwardly without offset to apart 40 adjacent the pivot Ill. The various edges of the housing and the jaw bar may be bevelled as indicated by the reference numeral 4! to remove surplus metals for the purpose of reducing the size of the wrench and also to adapt the wrench forwork in confined places. V

In Figure 8 the jaws of the wrench are shaped to adapt them for use on hexagon nuts. It is intended, however, thatthe jaws in all the other wrenches disclosed i herein may be similarly shaped if desired. in all other respects this form of the invention is similar to that shown in Figuresrl to 5.

In the form illustrated in Figures 9 to 11, the lower end of the casing 53 is slotted to receive the locking lever 54 shaped to make a comfortable fit in the hand of an operator. The upper back part 55 of the rear edge of'the casing is preferably straight and terminates at its lower end in two outwardly directed lugs 56 and 51, forming a slot 58, in which the upper reduced part 59 of lever 54 is received snugly.

The reduced part 59 is provided with an aperture 69 to receive a. pivot pin 6| suitably secured to the lugs 56 and 51. Said part 59 has a stop lug 62 extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to contact with the lower end 63 of the upper part 55 to limit the outward swing of the lever 54 about pivot 6|.

The front edge of the jaw bar 64 is provided with a recess 65 similar to the recess IS in Figure 1; and a tension spring 66 is located on said recess with its upper end suitably fixed to the upper end 6'! of the recess. The lowerpart 68 of spring 66 extends as a straight wire through a bore 69 of lower end of jaw bar 84 extending through the lug 16 at the lower end of recess 65 r and at its lower end is suitably secured to the lower end of one arm H of a lever 12 which is pivoted between its ends by means of a fulcrum pin 13 extending across the slot in the lower end of V of and the said arm 14 has a part 16 at its upper end serrated and V-shaped in cross section to co-operate with a serrated and V-shaped channel 11 formed along the rear edge of jaw bar 64 near the lower end thereof; The construction of the parts 16 and 11 is similar to that shown in Figure 7.

The back edge of the arm 14 of lever 12 at its upper end is shaped to form a contact bearing for. the projecting lug 18, on the lever 54 nearits upper end. The adjacent edges of levers 12 and 54 are shaped to form a clearance 19 sufficiently large to permit the spring 68 to hold the arm 14 with its upper serrated end 16 normally out of locking contact with the lowerserrated end of jaw bar 64.

In the form of the invention shown inFigures 12, 13 and '14, the front edge of casing hasa boss 8| suitably secured thereto as by welding. or otherwise. The boss 8| is bored to receive a pin or rivet 82 extending through thelugs 83, and B4 projecting laterally from the upper end of a lockingmember 85, which is substantially Ueshaped in cross section. I a r The lower part of casing 80 adjacent the member 85 is also U-shaped in cross section, and has verse'slot 94 formed therein and shaped to provide a curved contact surface'95 for one end of the arm 96 ofa'spring 98, which is coiled at its center and is suitably secured tothe member 85 by means of the pin 91 which is secured to sides of member 85.

It is believed the operation of the several forms of this invention will be obvious to persons skilled in the art by inspection of the drawings forming part of this specification.

What I claim is:

1. A wrench comprising a handle formed as a casing having a jaw at one end thereof, a bar slidable in said casing and having a jaw at one of its ends cooperating with the jaw in said casing, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends near the lower end of said casing, yielding means connected to said bar and to one arm of said lever for holding the casing and bar with their cooperating jaws normally in yielding contact with each other, said lever and the lower end of said bar being provided with serrations, yielding means for holding said lever with its said serrations normally out of contact with the serrations on said bar, the other arm of said lever being operable by gripping pressure exerted in the direction of the bar to lock said casing and bar with their jaws in any desired position of relative adjustment.

2. A wrench comprising a handle formed as a casing having a jaw at one end thereof, a bar having a jaw at one end and slidably mounted in said casing, said bar having serrations along one edge, a lever fulcrumed between its ends to the lower part of said casing and having serrations on one of its arms adapted to interlock with the serrations on said bar, and yielding means connecting said jaw to the other arm of said lever for normally holding said lever with its serrations out of contact with the serrations on said bar, said serrated arm being movable by pressure to cause the serrations to interlock at any desired relative adjustment of said casing and bar.

3. A wrench comprising a handle formed as a casing having a jaw at one end thereof, a bar having a jaw at one end and slidably mounted in said casing, said bar having serrations along one edge, a lever fulcrumed between its ends to the lower part of said casing and having serrations on one of its arms adapted to interlock with the serrations on said bar, said bar having a recess formed in its opposite edge, a tension spring located in said recess and having one end secured to the bar at the end of the recess nearest the jaws of the wrench, the other end of the spring passing freely through an aperture in the bottom wall on the recess and being fixed to the other arm of said lever to hold the lever normally in unlocked relation to said bar, said lever being movable against the tension of said spring to lock the bar in any desired position in said casing.

OSWALD M. GROSS. 

